Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Pain Doctors Profit From Drug Tests On Seniors

The Wall Street Journal reports that some Medicare doctors are making more from testing their patients for drug abuse than for treating them for pain. Another story looks at the need for better information to help seniors compare traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans to figure out which is best for them.

The Wall Street Journal:
Doctors Cash In On Drug Tests For Seniors, And Medicare Pays The Bill
Medical guidelines encourage doctors who treat pain to test their patients, to make sure they are neither abusing pills nor failing to take them, possibly to sell them. Now, some pain doctors are making more from testing than from treating. Spending on the tests took off after Medicare cracked down on what appeared to be abusive billing for simple urine tests. Some doctors moved on to high-tech testing methods, for which billing wasn’t limited. (Weaver and Mathews, 11/10)

The Wall Street Journal's Total Return:
Medicare Vs. Medicare Advantage: More Comparative Data Needed
With almost four weeks remaining in Medicare’s annual open-enrollment period, a new study that looks at the research available to compare traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans finds that consumers have little good evidence to make informed decisions. Medicare beneficiaries have until Dec. 7 to change their insurance plans for the coming calendar year. Among the biggest decisions for any participant: choosing between traditional fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which are operated by private companies, including health-maintenance organizations and preferred-provider organizations. About 30% of all beneficiaries are now enrolled in the latter. (Ruffenach, 11/10)

In addition, the program announces that it will cover lung cancer screening for a specific, high-risk population -